List of counties in North Carolina

Counties of North Carolina
Location	State of North Carolina
Number	100
Populations	4,364 (Tyrrell) – 1,012,539 (Mecklenburg)
Areas	221 square miles (570 km^2) (Clay) – 1,562 square miles (4,050 km^2) (Dare)
Government	County government
Subdivisions	cities, towns, townships, unincorporated communities, census designated place

The U.S. state of North Carolina is divided into 100 counties. North Carolina ranks 29th in size by area, but has the seventh-highest number of counties in the country.^[1]

Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, King Charles II rewarded eight persons on March 24, 1663, for their faithful support of his efforts to regain the throne of England. He gave the eight grantees, called Lords Proprietor, the land called Carolina, in honor of King Charles I, his father. The Province of Carolina, from 1663 to 1729, was a North American English (1663-1707), then British (from 1707 union with Scotland) colony. In 1729, the Province of North Carolina became a separate entity from the Province of South Carolina.

The establishment of North Carolina counties stretches over 240 years, beginning in 1668 with the creation of Albemarle County and ending with the 1911 creation of Avery and Hoke counties. Five counties have been divided or abolished altogether, the last being Dobbs County in 1791.

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS),^[2] which is used by the United States government to uniquely identify states and counties, is provided with each entry. North Carolina's FIPS code is 37, which when combined with the county code is written as 37XXX.

List

County	FIPS Code [2]	County Seat [3]	Created [3]	Origin [4]	Etymology [4]	Population estimate (2011)[3][5][6][7]	Area [3][5]	Map
Alamance County	001	Graham	1849	Orange County	The Battle of Alamance which was derived from the local Native American word meaning "blue clay" found in the Great Alamance Creek	153,291	435 sq mi (1,127 km^2)
Alexander County	003	Taylorsville	1847	Caldwell County, Iredell County, and Wilkes County	William J. Alexander, member of the legislature and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons	37,087	263 sq mi (681 km^2)
Alleghany County	005	Sparta	1859	Ashe County	Derived from a corruption of the Delaware Indian name for the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers and is said to have meant "a fine stream"	11,052	236 sq mi (611 km^2)
Anson County	007	Wadesboro	1750	Bladen County	George, Lord Anson (1697–1762), a celebrated English admiral who circumnavigated the globe	26,143	537 sq mi (1,391 km^2)
Ashe County	009	Jefferson	1799	Wilkes County	Samuel Ashe (1725–1813), a Revolutionary patriot, superior court judge, and governor of North Carolina	27,143	427 sq mi (1,106 km^2)
Avery County	011	Newland	1911	Caldwell County, Mitchell County, and Watauga County	Waightstill Avery (1741–1821), a soldier of the Revolution and Attorney General of North Carolina	17,572	247 sq mi (640 km^2)
Beaufort County	013	Washington	1712	Original county	Duke Henry Somerset of Beaufort, who in 1709 became one of the Lords Proprietor	47,691	959 sq mi (2,484 km^2)
Bertie County	015	Windsor	1722	Chowan County	James or Henry Bertie, two Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina	20,874	741 sq mi (1,919 km^2)
Bladen County	017	Elizabethtown	1734	New Hanover County	Martin Bladen, a member of the Board of Trade	35,190	887 sq mi (2,297 km^2)
Brunswick County	019	Bolivia	1764	Bladen County and New Hanover County	George I of Great Britain (1660–1727), Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg	110,097	860 sq mi (2,227 km^2)
Buncombe County	021	Asheville	1791	Burke County and Rutherford County	Edward Buncombe, a Revolutionary soldier, who was wounded and captured at the Battle of Germantown, and died a paroled prisoner in Philadelphia	241,419	660 sq mi (1,709 km^2)
Burke County	023	Morganton	1777	Rowan County	Thomas Burke (1747–1783), a member of the Continental Congress and governor of North Carolina	90,904	515 sq mi (1,334 km^2)
Cabarrus County	025	Concord	1792	Mecklenburg County	Stephen Cabarrus (1754–1808), member of the legislature and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons	181,468	365 sq mi (945 km^2)
Caldwell County	027	Lenoir	1841	Burke County and Wilkes County	Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), the first president of the University of North Carolina	82,395	474 sq mi (1,228 km^2)
Camden County	029	Camden	1777	Pasquotank County	Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1714–1794), who opposed the taxation of the American colonists	10,014	306 sq mi (793 km^2)
Carteret County	031	Beaufort	1722	Craven County	John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690–1763), who inherited one-eighth share in the Province of Carolina through his great-grandfather George Carteret	67,373	1,341 sq mi (3,473 km^2)
Caswell County	033	Yanceyville	1777	Orange County	Richard Caswell (1729–1789), member of the first Continental Congress and first governor of North Carolina after the Declaration of Independence	23,403	428 sq mi (1,109 km^2)
Catawba County	035	Newton	1842	Lincoln County	Catawba Nation	154,181	414 sq mi (1,072 km^2)
Chatham County	037	Pittsboro	1771	Orange County	William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), Secretary of State during the French and Indian War and was later Prime Minister of Great Britain	64,195	709 sq mi (1,836 km^2)
Cherokee County	039	Murphy	1839	Macon County	Cherokee Nation	27,194	497 sq mi (1,287 km^2)
Chowan County	041	Edenton	1668	Albemarle County	Chowan Native American tribe	14,831	233 sq mi (603 km^2)
Clay County	043	Hayesville	1861	Cherokee County	Henry Clay (1777–1852), statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate	10,563	221 sq mi (572 km^2)
Cleveland County	045	Shelby	1841	Lincoln County and Rutherford County	Benjamin Cleveland (1738–1806), a colonel in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain	97,489	469 sq mi (1,215 km^2)
Columbus County	047	Whiteville	1808	Bladen County and Brunswick County	Christopher Columbus (1451–1507), navigator, explorer, and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas	57,712	954 sq mi (2,471 km^2)
Craven County	049	New Bern	1705	Bath County	William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven (1608–1697), who was a Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina	104,786	774 sq mi (2,005 km^2)
Cumberland County	051	Fayetteville	1754	Bladen County	Duke William of Cumberland (1721–1765), a military leader and son of George II	324,885	658 sq mi (1,704 km^2)
Currituck County	053	Currituck	1668	Albemarle County	Traditionally said to be an American Indian word for wild geese, also rendered "Coratank"	23,955	526 sq mi (1,362 km^2)
Dare County	055	Manteo	1870	Currituck County, Hyde County, and Tyrrell County	Virginia Dare (b. 1587), the first child born of English parents in America	34,307	1,562 sq mi (4,046 km^2)
Davidson County	057	Lexington	1822	Rowan County	William Lee Davidson (1746–1781), an American Revolutionary War general who was mortally wounded at Cowan's Ford	162,695	567 sq mi (1,469 km^2)
Davie County	059	Mocksville	1836	Rowan County	William Richardson Davie (1756–1820), a member of the Federal Convention and governor of North Carolina	41,552	267 sq mi (692 km^2)
Duplin County	061	Kenansville	1750	New Hanover County	Thomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin (1710–1787), who was the 9th Earl of Kinnoull	59,542	819 sq mi (2,121 km^2)
Durham County	063	Durham	1881	Orange County and Wake County	The city of Durham which was named in honor of Dr. Bartlett Snipes Durham who donated the land on which the railroad station was located	273,392	298 sq mi (772 km^2)
Edgecombe County	065	Tarboro	1741	Bertie County	Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe (1680–1758), a Lord High Treasurer and Paymaster-General for Ireland	56,041	507 sq mi (1,313 km^2)
Forsyth County	067	Winston-Salem	1849	Stokes County	Benjamin Forsyth (d. 1814), an American officer during the War of 1812	354,952	413 sq mi (1,070 km^2)
Franklin County	069	Louisburg	1779	Bute County	Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), an author, politician, statesman, and Founding Father of the United States	61,140	495 sq mi (1,282 km^2)
Gaston County	071	Gastonia	1846	Lincoln County	William Gaston (1778–1844), a United States Congressman and justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court	207,031	364 sq mi (943 km^2)
Gates County	073	Gatesville	1779	Chowan County, Hertford County, and Perquimans County	Horatio Gates (1727–1806), an American general during the Revolution at the Battle of Saratoga	12,043	346 sq mi (896 km^2)
Graham County	075	Robbinsville	1872	Cherokee County	William Alexander Graham (1804–1875), a United States Senator, governor of North Carolina, and United States Secretary of the Navy	8,802	302 sq mi (782 km^2)
Granville County	077	Oxford	1746	Edgecombe County	John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690–1763), who inherited one-eighth share in the Province of Carolina through his great-grandfather George Carteret	59,976	537 sq mi (1,391 km^2)
Greene County	079	Snow Hill	1799	Dobbs County Originally named Glasgow County	Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War	21,556	266 sq mi (689 km^2)
Guilford County	081	Greensboro	1771	Orange County and Rowan County	Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford (1704–1790), a British politician and father of Prime Minister of Great Britain Frederick North	495,279	658 sq mi (1,704 km^2)
Halifax County	083	Halifax	1758	Edgecombe County	George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax (1716–1771), a British statesman and President of the Board of Trade	54,173	731 sq mi (1,893 km^2)
Harnett County	085	Lillington	1855	Cumberland County	Cornelius Harnett (1723–1781), an American Revolutionary and delegate in the Continental Congress	119,256	601 sq mi (1,557 km^2)
Haywood County	087	Waynesville	1808	Buncombe County	John Haywood (1754–1827), a North Carolina State Treasurer	58,855	555 sq mi (1,437 km^2)
Henderson County	089	Hendersonville	1838	Buncombe County	Leonard Henderson (1772–1833), Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court	107,927	375 sq mi (971 km^2)
Hertford County	091	Winton	1759	Bertie County, Chowan County, and Northampton County	Marquess Francis Seymour-Conway of Hertford (1718–1794), who was Lord of the Bedchamber to George II and George III	24,433	360 sq mi (932 km^2)
Hoke County	093	Raeford	1911	Cumberland County and Robeson County	Robert Hoke (1837–1912), a Confederate general during the American Civil War	49,272	392 sq mi (1,015 km^2)
Hyde County	095	Swan Quarter	1712	Original county Originally named Wickham County	Edward Hyde (c. 1650–1712), a governor of colonial North Carolina	5,822	1,424 sq mi (3,688 km^2)
Iredell County	097	Statesville	1788	Rowan County	James Iredell (1751–1799), a comptroller at the port of Edenton and one of the original justices of the Supreme Court of the United States	161,202	597 sq mi (1,546 km^2)
Jackson County	099	Sylva	1851	Haywood County and Macon County	Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), the 7th President of the United States	40,285	494 sq mi (1,279 km^2)
Johnston County	101	Smithfield	1746	Craven County	Gabriel Johnston (1699–1752), a governor of colonial North Carolina	172,595	796 sq mi (2,062 km^2)
Jones County	103	Trenton	1778	Craven County	Willie Jones (1740–1801), opposed the ratification of the United States Constitution and declined an invitation to the Constitutional Convention	10,020	473 sq mi (1,225 km^2)
Lee County	105	Sanford	1907	Chatham County and Moore County	Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), a career United States Army officer and general of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War	58,752	259 sq mi (671 km^2)
Lenoir County	107	Kinston	1791	Dobbs County	William Lenoir (1751–1839), a captain in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain	59,339	402 sq mi (1,041 km^2)
Lincoln County	109	Lincolnton	1779	Tryon County	Benjamin Lincoln (1733–1810), a major general during the American Revolutionary War who participated in the Siege of Yorktown	78,932	307 sq mi (795 km^2)
McDowell County	111	Marion	1842	Burke County and Rutherford County	Joseph McDowell (1756–1801), a soldier in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain	45,104	446 sq mi (1,155 km^2)
Macon County	113	Franklin	1828	Haywood County	Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), a member and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives	34,074	519 sq mi (1,344 km^2)
Madison County	115	Marshall	1851	Buncombe County and Yancey County	James Madison (1751–1836), the 4th President of the United States	20,816	452 sq mi (1,171 km^2)
Martin County	117	Williamston	1774	Halifax County and Tyrrell County	Josiah Martin (1737–1786), the last governor of colonial North Carolina	24,180	461 sq mi (1,194 km^2)
Mecklenburg County	119	Charlotte	1762	Anson County	Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744–1818), the queen consort of George III of the United Kingdom	944,373	546 sq mi (1,414 km^2)
Mitchell County	121	Bakersville	1861	Burke County, Caldwell County, McDowell County, Watauga County, and Yancey County	Elisha Mitchell (1793–1857), a professor at the University of North Carolina who measured the height of Mount Mitchell	15,445	222 sq mi (575 km^2)
Montgomery County	123	Troy	1779	Anson County	Richard Montgomery (1738–1775), a major general during the Revolutionary War who was killed at the Battle of Quebec	27,667	502 sq mi (1,300 km^2)
Moore County	125	Carthage	1784	Cumberland County	Alfred Moore (1755–1810), a captain in the Revolutionary War and justice of the Supreme Court of the United States	89,352	706 sq mi (1,829 km^2)
Nash County	127	Nashville	1777	Edgecombe County	Francis Nash (1742–1777), a brigadier general in the Revolutionary War who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Germantown	96,116	543 sq mi (1,406 km^2)
New Hanover County	129	Wilmington	1729	Craven County	The royal family of England, members of the House of Hanover	206,189	328 sq mi (850 km^2)
Northampton County	131	Jackson	1741	Bertie County	James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton (1687–1754), a British peer and politician	21,893	551 sq mi (1,427 km^2)
Onslow County	133	Jacksonville	1734	New Hanover County	Arthur Onslow (1691–1768), Speaker of the British House of Commons	179,716	909 sq mi (2,354 km^2)
Orange County	135	Hillsborough	1752	Bladen County, Granville County, and Johnston County	William V, Prince of Orange (1748–1806), the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic	135,755	401 sq mi (1,039 km^2)
Pamlico County	137	Bayboro	1872	Beaufort County and Craven County	Pamlico Sound and the Pamlico Native American tribe	13,197	566 sq mi (1,466 km^2)
Pasquotank County	139	Elizabeth City	1668	Albemarle County	Derived from the Native American word pasketanki which meant "where the current of the stream divides or forks"	40,696	289 sq mi (749 km^2)
Pender County	141	Burgaw	1875	New Hanover County	William Dorsey Pender (1834–1863), Confederate soldier who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg of the American Civil War	53,399	933 sq mi (2,416 km^2)
Perquimans County	143	Hertford	1668	Albemarle County	The Native American word perquimans means "land of beautiful women" and was coined by a sect of the Yeopim tribe, later becoming the 'Perquiman'	13,487	329 sq mi (852 km^2)
Person County	145	Roxboro	1791	Caswell County	Thomas Person, an American Revolutionary War patriot	39,637	404 sq mi (1,046 km^2)
Pitt County	147	Greenville	1760	Beaufort County	William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), Secretary of State during the French and Indian War and was later Prime Minister of Great Britain	171,134	655 sq mi (1,696 km^2)
Polk County	149	Columbus	1855	Henderson County and Rutherford County	William Polk (1758–1834), officer in the American Revolutionary War and first president of the State Bank of North Carolina	20,256	239 sq mi (619 km^2)
Randolph County	151	Asheboro	1779	Guilford County	Peyton Randolph (c. 1721–1755), the first President of the Continental Congress	142,358	790 sq mi (2,046 km^2)
Richmond County	153	Rockingham	1779	Anson County	Duke Charles Lennox of Richmond (1735–1806), a firm supporter of the American colonists and advocated removal of British troops	46,611	480 sq mi (1,243 km^2)
Robeson County	155	Lumberton	1787	Bladen County	Thomas Robeson, an officer in the American Revolutionary War	135,517	951 sq mi (2,463 km^2)
Rockingham County	157	Wentworth	1785	Guilford County	Marquess Charles Watson-Wentworth of Rockingham (1730–1782), a British statesmen and two-time Prime Minister of Great Britain	93,329	572 sq mi (1,481 km^2)
Rowan County	159	Salisbury	1753	Anson County	Matthew Rowan (d. 1769), was the acting Governor of colonial North Carolina following the death of Governor Nathaniel Rice	138,019	524 sq mi (1,357 km^2)
Rutherford County	161	Rutherfordton	1779	Tryon County	Griffith Rutherford (c. 1721–1805), an officer in the American Revolutionary War and a political leader in North Carolina	67,538	566 sq mi (1,466 km^2)
Sampson County	163	Clinton	1784	Duplin County	John Sampson, a member of Josiah Martin's council	63,734	947 sq mi (2,453 km^2)
Scotland County	165	Laurinburg	1899	Richmond County	The country Scotland, part of the United Kingdom	35,861	321 sq mi (831 km^2)
Stanly County	167	Albemarle	1841	Montgomery County	John Stanly (1774–1834), a United States Congressman and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons	60,636	404 sq mi (1,046 km^2)
Stokes County	169	Danbury	1789	Surry County	John Stokes, a soldier of the Revolution who was seriously wounded at the Waxhaw massacre	47,242	456 sq mi (1,181 km^2)
Surry County	171	Dobson	1771	Rowan County	The county of Surrey in England, birthplace of then governor William Tryon	73,714	538 sq mi (1,393 km^2)
Swain County	173	Bryson City	1871	Jackson County and Macon County	David Lowry Swain (1801–1868), a governor of North Carolina and president of the University of North Carolina	14,043	541 sq mi (1,401 km^2)
Transylvania County	175	Brevard	1861	Henderson County and Jackson County	Derived from the Latin words, trans meaning across and sylva meaning woods	32,820	381 sq mi (987 km^2)
Tyrrell County	177	Columbia	1729	Chowan County, Currituck County, and Pasquotank County	John Tyrrell, at one time was a Lords Proprietor	4,364	600 sq mi (1,554 km^2)
Union County	179	Monroe	1842	Anson County and Mecklenburg County	Created as a compromise after a dispute between local Whigs and Democrats as to whether it should be named Clay or Jackson county	205,463	640 sq mi (1,658 km^2)
Vance County	181	Henderson	1881	Franklin County, Granville County, and Warren County	Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894), a Confederate military officer in the American Civil War, twice governor of North Carolina, and United States Senator	45,307	270 sq mi (699 km^2)
Wake County	183	Raleigh	1771	Cumberland County, Johnston County, and Orange County	Margaret Wake, the wife of British colonial governor William Tryon	929,780	857 sq mi (2,220 km^2)
Warren County	185	Warrenton	1779	Bute County	Joseph Warren (1741–1775), a Patriot and volunteer private who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill	20,861	444 sq mi (1,150 km^2)
Washington County	187	Plymouth	1799	Tyrrell County	George Washington (1732–1799), the 1st President of the United States	12,973	424 sq mi (1,098 km^2)
Watauga County	189	Boone	1849	Ashe County, Caldwell County, Wilkes County, and Yancey County	The Watauga River, which came from a Native American word meaning "beautiful water"	51,333	313 sq mi (811 km^2)
Wayne County	191	Goldsboro	1779	Dobbs County	Anthony Wayne (1745–1796), a general in the American Revolutionary War	123,697	557 sq mi (1,443 km^2)
Wilkes County	193	Wilkesboro	1777	Surry County	John Wilkes (1725–1797), an English radical, journalist and politician	68,984	760 sq mi (1,968 km^2)
Wilson County	195	Wilson	1855	Edgecombe County, Johnston County, Nash County, and Wayne County	Louis D. Wilson, a state legislator from Edgecombe County who died of fever at Veracruz during the Mexican-American War	81,452	374 sq mi (969 km^2)
Yadkin County	197	Yadkinville	1850	Surry County	The Yadkin River	38,279	337 sq mi (873 km^2)
Yancey County	199	Burnsville	1833	Buncombe County and Burke County	Bartlett Yancey (1785–1828), a United States Congressman, Speaker of the North Carolina Senate, and early advocate for the North Carolina Public School System	17,701	313 sq mi (811 km^2)

Historic counties

County	Created	Abolished	Fate
Albemarle County	1664[8]	1689[8]	Partitioned into Chowan County, Currituck County, Pasquotank County, and Perquimans County
Bath County	1696[9]	1739[9]	Renamed as Craven County
Bute County	1764[10]	1779[10]	Partitioned into Franklin County and Warren County
Dobbs County	1758[11]	1791[11]	Partitioned into Greene County, Lenoir County, and Wayne County
Tryon County	1768[12]	1779[12]	Partitioned into Lincoln County and Rutherford County

See also

• List of cities, towns, and villages in North Carolina
• List of former United States counties

References

General

• Corbitt, David Leroy. The Formation of the North Carolina Counties, 1663–1943. Raleigh: State Dept. of Archives and History, 1950. Reprint, Raleigh: Division of Archives and History, North Carolina Dept. of Cultural Resources, 1987. ISBN 0-86526-032-X
• Powell, William S. The North Carolina Gazetteer. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1968. Reprint, 1985. ISBN 0-8078-1247-1

Specific

1. "How Many Counties are in Your State?". Click and Learn. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
2. "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". US Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
3. "NACo – Find a county". National Association of Counties.
4. "County Histories". The State Library of North Carolina. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
5. "North Carolina QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-02-06. (2000 Census)
6. "Census Tables for 2009". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
7. "2010 Census". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
8. "Historic Albemarle County North Carolina Genealogy". USGenNet. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
9. "Historic Bath County North Carolina Genealogy". USGenNet. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
10. "Bute Co., North Carolina GenWeb 1764–1779". RootsWeb. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
11. "Dobbs County, NC GenWeb Archives". USGenWeb. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
12. "Finding Tryon County Ancestors". Gaston-Lincoln Regional Library System. Retrieved 2011-08-31.